FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW Ranks the 2011 HBCU FCS Top 10 Recruiting Classes

For the fifth time in six years FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW has ranked the top 10 HBCU FCS recruiting classes. The rankings are based on the talent that was brought in and research that we did based upon school releases, local newspaper articles and recruiting boards. This is not an exact science, but an opinion.

Feedback is greatly appreciated at hbcu@boxtorow.com.

Rankings

1. Year in and year out South Carolina State continues to be ranked amongst our top four or five recruiting classes and for the second year in a row they have the top class.  The recruiting that Buddy Pough and his staff puts in shows, as the Bulldogs have won the MEAC title each of the last three years.  What the Bulldogs do well is recruit South Carolina.  That has been proven with gems like quarterback Malcolm Long, the two-time Palmetto Player of the Year, and a guy from tiny Traveler's Rest by the name of Will Ford, who only became the MEAC's all-time leading rusher a year ago.  Pough and his staff were at it again when they picked up three-star RB Julius Pendergrass (Chester) who received offers from Kentucky and Arkansas.  They also picked up OL Jairon Harrison (James Island) from Charleston who is a scout.com two-star recruit.  But what the Bulldogs also continue to do well is recruit North Carolina.  In addition to Pendergrass, the Bulldogs picked up a pair of three-star RBs in Jalen Simmons (West Charlotte) and Deion Walker (Butler).  The Bulldogs add depth and a bright future to a position loaded with a wealth of talent right now with Asheton Jordan, Chris Merril, and Devin Wherry all returning as juniors.  With the loss of Boxtorow.com/BASN All-American offensive linemen Johnny Culbreath and Josh Harrision, not only do they add Jairon Harrision, but they signed five others including Rivals three-star recruit Devin Flowers of Charlotte's Mallard Creek, and North-South All-Star tackles Avery Grant (Mullins) and Raheem Barr (Lamar).  The Bulldogs lose quite a bit on defense from last year, particularly in the linebacking department, but sign two-star recruit Justin Hughes (Fork Union).  The Bulldogs signed two other two-star recruits both from North Carolina including DT Chris Manns (Tabor) who received an offer from NC State, and safety Austin Stewart (Butler).
   
   
2. Bethune-Cookman was fourth in our rankings last year and with a strong 10-2 record, a share of the MEAC Title and an appearance in the FCS Playoffs, and with a whole year under his belt, head coach Brian Jenkins and staff was able to get some good talent to come to Daytona Beach.  The Wildcats had a nice size class of 28 players which included 20 high school players, five JUCO transfers and three Division I transfers.  QB Qunetin Williams from Tampa Jefferson was named Mr. Football in the state of Florida.  Their prize recruit may be DB Nick Addison, a three-star Rivals recruit from Spoto in the Tampa area.  Addison turned down offers from Iowa State, Mississippi, New Mexico and Washington State.   Other key high school recruits include Rivals two-star recruits RB Breon Allen of Warner Christian Academy in South Daytona who was offered by Pitt, Eastern Michigan and Marshall; and DL Ryan Bryson of Pedro Menendez in St. Augustine who was also offered by South Carolina.  High School recruits that could come in and play right away include WR Seth Clayton from Lyman in Altamonte Springs who runs an 11.7 in the 100m as well as Rivals two-star WR Tyree Green from Boca Ciega in St. Petersburg.  Transfer LB Al-Ghaffar Lane (Rutgers) should be able to come in and play right away as should Mississippi transfer RB Rodney Scott, Cincinnati transfer DB Quincy Quetant, and OL Stavion Lowe who was originally a four-star Rivals player two years ago and originally signed with LSU but went to Tyler CC.  Bethune-Cookman didn't have to stray much from one of the best high school recruiting states in the country signing 19 players from Florida.
   
   
3. Rod Reed took over the duties as head football coach at Tennessee State last year, but had always been the lead recruiter.  TSU perennially has been ranked in the top 5 of our class including a number one ranking two years ago.  This was one of the most versatile classes as a lot of needs were filled.  Recruits come from eight different states.  The Tigers quarterback situation just became a little cloudier when the Tigers signed Imonni Carswell from Plantation in Florida, a two-star recruit who received offers from Maryland, Marshall, and Central Michigan. Other Rivals two-star recruits for the Tigers include ATH Senquay Eichelberger (Pearl-Cohn), DT Samquan Evans from Winston-Salem, NC's Carver, RB Telvin Hooks from New Smyrna Beach, FL, who had six other offers including Purdue, and DT Dinsdale Jackson from American Heritage in Plantation, FL who turned down Memphis.  One of the players that can have an immediate impact for the Tigers defense is Nick Thrasher from Mt. Zion in Jonesboro, GA. He started to move up the boards later in the season and chose TSU over several schools.  He was a scouts and ESPN College Recruiting two-star athlete and was ranked the 141st best OLB in the country by ESPN.  Reed and his staff concentrated on defense overall as 14 of the 23 signees were on that side of the ball.
   
   
4. North Carolina Central new head football coach Henry Frazier's Prairie View A&M classes have always been in the top five since we have been ranking the classes.  This year is no different as in a short amount of time he was able to get some solid commitments to the Durham school.  With initial recruiting classes you never can tell how the class will play out but with Frazier, who usually redshirts almost all of his freshmen, the proof is in the pudding with what he did at PVAMU.  It will be hard for Frazier to redshirt DB Alex Cole from Sherwood in Olney, MD who is an explosive player, a great athlete, a hard hitter, is a textbook tackler and has a knack for the ball and has good speed. He was a Rivals two-star recruit.  A DC native, Frazier has always recruited the DC area well (seven recruits to NCCU are from the area) and he went back home to get DT Josh Wade from McKinley Tech.  Wade was offered by West Virginia, Louisville, New Mexico and Illinois.  Even more importantly about the class as a whole is the fact that of the 23 high school players that signed 15 appeared in the state playoffs in 2010, including nine that played in a state title game and seven that won state championships. Four of those players played at NC 4-A State Champion Durham Hillside including WRs Shawn Malloy and Aquez Willis, and offensive linemen Zach Giles and Jonathan Gray. Frazier is a no-nonsense type of guy and now is looking to build a winning program with players that understand winning.  
   
   
5. Florida A&M head coach Joe Taylor is in a select class of coaches that have won MEAC titles with two different schools.  Taylor's Rattlers won a share of the title last year and also won in recruiting this year.  Taylor and his staff signed 22 of the 25 prospects they coveted and he calls this class his best since arriving at FAMU three years ago.  Offensive line has always been a key for Taylor as he signed eight linemen this year.  Rivals three-star recruit La'Donte Gibson (Madison, FL) may be able to see action immediately.  One of the prize recruits may be Kawika Pieper from Honolulu's Moanalua who turned down Marshall and Duke.  Another recruit to keep an eye on is Scouts two-star LB Darius Powell from Gainesville's Eastside.  Taylor has also gone after transfers as well and signed three Division I transfers that may be able to help the Rattlers right away. QB Tyler Bass, a transfer from the University of Memphis, can come in and compete for the starting job.  CB Ravonne Carter transferred from New Mexico and was offered by FAMU last year.  RB Casey Turner transferred from Rutgers where he could have been a starter last year prior to a pre-season injury.  He was a three-star recruit last year out of Jacksonville's Ed White.
   
   
6. Hampton head coach Donovan Rose and staff welcome 15 new players, a mix of nine high school players and six transfers.  Impressive credentials for the high school players belong to RB Chris Dukes from UMS Wright in Mobile, AL who was all-state and rushed for 6,300 yards and 92 TDS during his career.  He was given a rating of two stars by ESPN College Recruiting.  What he lacks in size at 5-9, 160, he makes up for in speed (4.4).  Damarucs Bell from Greensboro, NC's Dudley has great size and was rated three stars by ESPN College Recruiting.  WR J'Rod Beard of Atlantic in Delray Beach, FL is a Rivals two-star player.  Transfers DB Khalid Marshall (Miami), RB Nubian Peak (Virginia Tech) and Khambrel McGee (Florida International) should have an immediate impact.
   
   
7. New Prairie View A&M head football coach Heishma Northern brought in a class of 20 after being named head coach in December.  The Panthers stayed true to form by bringing in 11 players from the state of Texas.  ATH Darius Edwards from Lake Charles, LA's LaGrange received two stars from Scouts and ESPN College Recruiting and ranked as one of the top athletes in Southwest Louisiana.  He could play offense or defense and can return kicks.  Defensively, the Panthers signed a pair of Plantation, FL high school teammates.  Rivals and Scouts two-star recruit LB Jerome Howard received offers from Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Marshall and Scouts had him ranked as one of the top 200 OLBs in the country.  Rivals two-star recruit DB Terrance Mitchell was offered by Kentucky.
   
   
8. Despite leaving Grambling for North Carolina A&T just days after the signing period began Rod Broadway brought in some talent to Grambling.  Andre Robinson takes over the reigns on an interim basis and the prize recruit was LB Antonio Marsh from Blount in Prichard, AL.  As a matter of fact Marsh was a three-star Rivals recruit and rated the 32nd best prospect in the state of Alabama and the 69th best OLB in the country.  He also received offers from South Carolina and UAB.  Also watch for ATH Tyree Hollins who stayed close to home after playing his ball at Carroll in Monroe.  Hollins was a Louisiana Sports Writers Association All-State selection in Class 3A.  Doug Williams, III, the son of Grambling legend Doug Williams, played last year at Hargrave Military Academy and turned down several offers to play at Grambling.
   
   
9. JacksonState has hopefully addressed some needs on the offensive line in this year's signing class.  Head coach Rick Comegy made it a priority by signing six offensive linemen, two of them JUCO transfers.  The average size of the signed offensive linemen is 6-3, 305.  Despite passing for over 3,000 yards last year, Tiger's QB Casey Therriault was sacked 29 times last year.  Jackson State received some good news when Rivals two-star recruit Sterling Wright from Miami's Coral Reef signed.  The Tigers also got an ESPN College Recruiting two-star kicker in Kris Selita from Dakota HS in Macomb, MI.  Transfers FB Reuben Corley (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC) and OL Zion Pyatt (Lackawanna CC) could come in and help the program right away.
   
   
10. New Savannah State head football coach Steve Davenport has been on the job less than a month but has already made his presence felt. Davenport and his staff signed 20 prospects to national letters of intent.  His best recruit may be Rivals three star LB Jordan Mincy from Stephenson in Stone Mountain, GA.  Mincy spurned Buffalo and Memphis to stay closer to home.  WR Vaughan Coenelia from Mount Juliet in Tennessee is a two-star Rivals recruit who has excellent size at 6-5, 210.  Davenport was in charge of recruiting and recruited Georgia while an assistant at UAB.  He used some of those connections to sign the bulk of his class with 13 players coming from within the state.

Tie: Alabama A&M head coach Anthony Jones signed his 10th class as head coach.  Jones and his staff signed 30 players to national letters of intent including six transfers who enrolled in school last month and will be available for spring practice.  The Bulldogs recruited a couple of quarterbacks as Brandon Wells of Calera in Alabama who had more than 7,300 yards in total offense and 90 touchdowns during his career.  FB Talmadge McCloud from Dillard in Fort Lauderdale, FL was a three-year starter and is capable of running the ball.  UAB transfer and Huntsvillenative David Isabelle comes and will battle incumbent Deauntae Mason for the starting position.  Isabelle had thrown for 264 yards and rushed for 394 yards last year as a starter before getting injured midway through the season.  Ball State transfer WR Jeremy Hill gives the Bulldogs a deep threat receiver.  The Bulldogs lost two starters on the offensive line but signed seven.